Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Mango Trifle

The Kent mangoes from Mexico, which are the closest to the Indian Badami, and my favorite, are just coming out and not ripe enough, so I had to settle for Manila Mangoes from the Phillipines for this event.

I first learned to make Pineapple Trifle in my high school cooking class. It was an instant hit at home and my mother encouraged me to make it for parties. One mango season when the house was filled with the heady aroma of ripe mangoes, I substituted mangoes for canned pineapple in the trifle and that was so delicious.

For the custard I used my blancmange recipe below, using 5 cups milk, 5 dessert spoons sugar (I used sugar instead of Splenda here, as kids were going to have the trifle too), 5 rounded dessertspoons cornstarch and BOTH almond and vanilla essence.Shortuct: Use instant pudding mix.I remove the custard from the stove, before it gets too thick.I do this for trifle only as I want to pour the custard and let the cake soak in it.

Slice cake and layer a glass bowl or individual dessert bowls with it.Some people melt jam and spread it over the cake at this stage...I don't.Pour just enough juice to soak the cake...don't drown the cake in juice.For the juice: If I have really good ripe mangoes I squeeze one or two into pulp and use that. If the mangoes are not that juicy I just use canned/bottled juice.Place fruit over cake in a single layer.Pour custard over cake.Here again some people use a layer of whipped cream...I don't.My home made custard is still warm when I pour it on so it would melt the whipped cream layer and...As a diabetic I make all my desserts as light as possible.Repeat layers: cake, juice, fruit, custard.If this is your last layer, set the bowl in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours, to chill the trifle thoroughly.If you're in a hurry, use the instant pudding which is mixed with cold milk, pre-chill your fruit and your juice, and you can omit the chilling step.Put a layer of whipped cream on top of the final layer and decorate with a few pieces of reserved mango and some nuts or cherries...let your imagination be your guide.I drizzled half a tsp of melted strawberry jam for color contrast on top.

Using Splenda and non-fat milk in the custard, and fat free whipped cream, and limiting myself to one serving of the trifle, makes it a perfectly satisfying diabetic dessert. Mangoes are high in sugar, so I made myself a little bowl (above)with less of everything and still got to enjoy it.

Optional: sometimes I use a cap full of sherry/cointreau/liquer over the cake layer.British trifles, served at Army dinners in India,long after Independence, always had a hint of alcohol in them...I guess that was the reason I always felt so happy after trifle and it is still one of my favorite desserts.

MEMO FROM GOD

Today, I will be handling all your problems.Please remember that I do not need your helpIf life happens to deliver a situation that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (Something for God to Do)box. It will be addressed in my time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it.

THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER

Grant us an understanding heart, Equal vision, balanced mind, Faith, devotion and wisdom. Grant us inner spiritual strength To resist temptation and to control the mind. Free us from egoism, lust, greed, hatred, anger and jealousy. Fill our hearts with divine virtues.

Dedication

This Site is dedicated to the memory of my parents and my in-laws. It is also dedicated to HD (Hubby Dearest), my children and grandchildren, our family and friends who have taught, shared and encouraged me on this path.

I thank both my parents, for their legacy of honesty, compassion, simplicity, deep faith in God, universal tolerance and conscientious diligence.

HD, thanks for showing me good cooking skills can be made into great cooking skills with patience and a love of experimenting.You are the best.

Thanks to those family members and friends who have unstintingly shared what they know and guided me on this journey.

This search for the best recipes is for my children who always appreciate my efforts in every area of life, my amazing grandchildren, and for those who seek ways of making the best food in the easiest way possible.